Animal Crossing 3DS won’t have paid DLC

Downloadable paid content is surely one of the most controversial aspects of the current console generation. Paid DLC have the potential to really extend a game’s lenght by adding worthwhile content but unfortunately not many developers are going this way with their extra downloadable content, most of the times adding simple characters modifications for multiplayer modes or extra features which don’t last too long.

With the 3DS console Nintendo has started offering paid DLC for its games, like extra scenarios for the latest Fire Emblem game in Japan and extra level packs for New Super Mario Bros 2.
The new entry in the Animal Crossing series called Animal Crossing: New Leaf seemed like it would be suited for a lot of paid extra content, even in the forms of microtransactions thanks to the series’ gameplay based on the customization of players’ characters and houses. Not only that since in Animal Crossing: New Leaf there’s gonna be a mayor mode which makes the player the town’s mayor, with the option to customize the entire town: potentially even more paid DLC could be developed and sold.

In a recent financial Q&A Satoru Iwata, Nintendo’s President, talked about the possibilty of paid DLC for the new Animal Crossing, confirming there only will be free DLC for the game.
Iwata-san added that paid DLC would only hurt the gameplay experience, making player feel deceived: DLC has to improve the overall experience, not damage it.

Animal Crossing: New Leaf will be available on 3DS from November 8 in Japan and it’s expected to launch in North America and Europe in the first quarter of 2013.